High amperage remote control switch



Spt. 11, 1934; A. G. STEINMLAYIER 1,973,121

HIGH AMPERAGE REMOTE CONTROL. SWITCH 4 Filed July 27. 1952 2 SheetsSheet 1 3noentor I (Ittomeg Sept. 11, 1934.

A. G. STEINMAYER HIGH AMPERAGE REMOTECONTROL SWITCH Filed July 27. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n o m I IJF I I i inventor 7 Jfa/k/xmyar Gttorneg Patented Sept. 11 1934 UNITED STATES HIGH AMPERAGE REMOTE CONTROL 1...-

SWITCH Alwin G. Steinmayer, Milwaukee, Wis, assigno'r to Line Material Company, South Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1932, Serial No. 624,936

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a high amperage remote control switch.

In high amperage switches, for instance where current in excess of 3000 amperes are controlled,

immense contact surfaces are necessary as well I .line 3--3 of Figure 1.

as good firm contact. It has therefore been found diflicult to open and close one of these high amperage switches due to the friction resulting from all of the contacts.

This is readily appreciated when it is considered that it is the usual practice in high ampere age switches to allow only 750 amperes per square inch and to use at least one-quarter inch copper bars. These figures are not in any way considered limiting but are intended to give a better picture of the general practice.

This invention is designed to overcome the defects herein noted above, and objects of this invention are to provide a high amperage switch 0 which nevertheless may be readily operated with a relatively small effort, which may be remote controlled, and which is so made that very extensive contact areas are firmly held together when the switch is closed, so that an effective contact suitable for high amperage work is obtained.

Further and more specific objects are to provide a high amperage switch which may be remote controlled, and in which the pressure between the switch blades and the stationary contacts is automatically released and thereafter the 'switch is swung open, the only force required being that necessary to move the mass of the blades and the associated movable parts, the switch blades remaining in their relatively free-condition until the switch is again closed, whereupon the switch blades are automatically tightly clamped against the stationary contacts.

Further objects are to provide a construction in which the switch blades cannot be accidentally clamped together during the closing motion of the switch, but only after the switch has been completely closed, and in which the opening motion of the switch is also automatically delayed until the clamping of the switch blades has been reof the gearln under predetermined conditions away andin section of the switch, showing it in closed position.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. a

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view onthe D Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the switch comprises a base 1 which carries a pair of upright insulating stacks orinsulators which, for the sake of clearness, will be referred [-05 E to as the front insulator 2 and the rear insulator 3. These insulators each carry a plurality of stationary contacts which may consist of copper blades spaced apart and rigidly clamped to the lies the stationary contacts 4, and the rear insulator, the stationary contacts 5. Any number of these contacts may be used and the number of movable switch blade members accordingly varied.

The base member 1 may have a simple type of 76 forward bracket 6 which carries the front insulator. It is, however, provided with an overhanging bracket 7 which carries the rear insulator. This overhanging bracket, together with the base member 1, forms a bearing for the operating shaft 8. This operating shaft rigidly carries a driving gear 9 which meshes with a driven gear 10. Also a gear housing 11 is pivotally mounted upon the operating shaft 8 and pivotally carries an intermediate or clamping shaft 12. It is preferable to provide a bearing washer 13 and a pin 14 passing through the shaft 8 to support-the weight, although other means, such as a boss or any other construction whatsoever which would accomplish this result could be used without departing from the spirit'of the invention.

The clamping shaft 12 carries a hub 15 to which the central insulating stack or insulator 16 is rigidly attached. The hub 15 is provided with a downwardly projecting lug or movable stop 17 which is adapted to contact with the stationary lug or stop 18, as will appear hereinafter. In addition to this, the gear casing 11 carries a spring pawl 19 which is provided with a tooth or stop 20, see Figure 3, adapted to engage the teeth described. When the switch is i mi -awn reference character 22. This screw is provided with upper and lower reversely threaded portions which are screw threaded into the upper clamp 23 and the lower clamp 24.

These clamps are loosely pivotally mounted upon the pivot pin 25 which passes through the clamps, through the movable contact blades 26 of the swinging portion of the switch, and through stationary contact blades ,or contacts 5. If: desired, this pivot pin 25 may be screw threaded into a portion of the bracket 27 which carries the contacts 5 and which is in turn carried by the insulating stack or insulator 3.

It is to be noted that the'upper and lower clamps 23 and 24 are provided with spaced pressure feet 28 and 29 respectively.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When it is desired to open the switch, the operating shaft, which is connected to, a crank, a hand wheel or any other remotely positioned operating means, is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3. The gear 9 communicating motion to the gear 10 rotates such latter gear in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3,.and the movable stop 17 begins to travel away from the stationary stop 18, such partial separation being shown in Figure 3. This rotates the shaft 12 and-consequently, due to the reversely threaded clamping screw 22, separates the upper and lower clamps 23 and 24, and thereby relieves pressure at the contacting areas of the movable blades 25 with the stationary contacts 4 and 5.

- After a. suitable angular rotation of the shaf 22, for example approximately a complete revolution, the stop 17 will occupy its dotted line position shown in Figure 3 and engage the stastionary stop 18 on the opposite side thereof from that which it had engaged.

This will arrest further motion'of the gear 10 and cause the gears 10 and 9 to lock rigidly with reference to the gear casing 11, but consequently the entire gear casing 11 will be swung outwardly about the axis of the operating shaft 8, which latter is in alignment with the pivot pin 25. Consequently the movable blades of the switch will freely rock outwardly as the pressure at the contacting areas has been removed. Obviously the blades at both the stationary blades 4 and the adjacent portions of the movable blades 26 may be slightly bevelled at their edges to facilitate their inter-meshing, or, in other words, the entering of the movable blades between the stationary blades on opposite side thereof, as shown in Figure 1.

As the movable blade and the insulator 16 and the gear casing 11 start to switch open position, it is clear that the spring pawl 19 will move away from the pin or stop 21 and thetooth or latch 20' will engage one of the teeth of the gear 10, see

for instance Figure 3, from which this operation to the fact that the stop 20'is intermeshing with or locked to the teeth of the gear 10. Therefore, the entire-movable or pivoted structure will rock into switch closed position, at which time the spring pawl 19 will be moved into its released position, as shown in Figure 3.

Further rotation of the shaft 8 wlll cause rotation of the clamping screw 22, thereby drawing the upper and lower clamps 23 and 24 towards each other, and thereby binding the intermeshing leaves-of the movable and stationary contacts tightly together, causing a firm and secure binding engagement throughout extensive areas.

It is apparent therefore that a novel form of high amperage switch has been provided in which the usual frictional resistance to the opening and closing motion is automatically relieved, although no. extra operation is required and no thought at all is required of the operator.

It is obvious that the gear ratio may be varied and may be made anything desired to fit the demands of any particular installation. Also, although spur gears have been shown, it is clear that other types of gears could be used, such as bevelled, spiral gears, or any form desired.

In addition to this, the operating shaft can be.

loosely or rigidly connected to any shaft desired, and consequently the operating wheel or crank or otheroperating means can be located at a point remote from the switch.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

I claim:

1. A high amperage remote control switch comprising stationary and movable contacts, operating means including gears and a housing, for supporting said movable contact and moving it into and out of engagement with the stationary contact, means driven from said gears for providing clamping and unclamping motion of the movable contact with respect to the stationary contact,

and means comprising a locking element coacting with said gears and housing, for preventing each of said motions while the other is in progress.

2. A high amperage remote control switch comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact.

forcing said clamps apart respectively at the completion of the closing motion and at the initiation of the opening motion, said means comprising a reversely threaded screw engaging said clamps,-

gearing driven from said operating means for rotating said screw, and locking means cooperating with said gearing to lock it before the switch starts to open, and to unlock it only after the switch has closed.

3. A high. amperage remote control switch comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact hinged to said stationary contact, a second stationary contact adapted to be engaged by said movable contact, clamping means for clamping said movable contact to said stationary contacts, said clamping means comprising a reversely threaded screw, gear means for rotating said screw, a housing for said gear means, locking means for automatically locking said gear means against rotation with respect to the housing while said movable contact is swung into and out of em gagement with the second mentioned stationary contact, said housing supporting the movable contact, and remote controlled operating means for rotating said gear means and for swinging said movable contact.

4. A high amperage switch comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact hinged to said stationary contact, a second stationary contact,

' said contacts being composed of a plurality of intermeshing bars, clamping means on opposite sides of said movable contact, a reversely threaded screw for drawing said clamping means towards each other or forcing said clamping means apart, a gear operatively coupled to said screw, a second gear meshing with said first mentioned gear, a gear housing supporting said first mentioned gear and coaxially revolubly mounted with respect to said second mentioned gear, and means for rotating said second mentioned gear.

5. A high amperage switch comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact hinged to said stationary contact, a second stationary contact, said contacts being composed of a plurality of intermeshing bars, clamping means on opposite sides of said movable contact, said clamping means being substantially centrally located on said movable contact and having spaced feet engaging said movable contact adjacent the ends thereof, a single reversely threaded screw for drawing said clamping means towards each other or forcing said clamping means apart, a gear operatively coupled to said screw, a second gear meshing with said first mentioned gear, a gear housing supporting said first mentioned gear and coaxially' nected to said stationary contact, a second stationary contact, at least the movable contact comprising a plurality of bars intermeshing with the stationary contacts, clamping means on opposite sides of said movable contact, a reversely threaded screw for drawing said clamping means towards each other or forcing said clamping means apart,

a gear operatively coupled to said screw, a second gear meshing with said first mentioned gear, a gear housing supporting said first mentioned gear and coaxially revolubly mounted with respect to said second mentioned gear, and means for rotating said second mentioned gear.

ALWIN G. STEINMAYER. 

